Maravi

Technical Committee extends consultative period timeframe

Technical Committee extends consultative period timeframe
By Ernest Chanda
Sun 10 June 2012, 12:59 CAT

THE Technical Committee on drafting a new constitution has extended the consultative period on the process to July 31, 2012. Committee spokesperson Simon Kabanda stated that in view of public demand for more time to study the first draft constitution and make submissions, it is important to extend the period.

"The feedback that the Committee has received from the time the first draft constitution was made public indicates that stakeholders, including members of the general public, need more time to study the contents of the first draft constitution," stated Kabanda in a statement yesterday.

"In response to the public outcry for more time, the technical committee has extended the time-frame for stakeholders and members of the public to comment on the first draft Constitution, from forty to ninety days. The public is now expected to study the first draft Constitution and make comments up to 31st July, 2012."

The Committee, which was appointed by President Michael Sata in November last year, started sitting in December the same year and released the first draft constitution to the public on April 30, this year.

The Committee gave the public 40 days within which to study the document and make submissions on the contents.

After the launch of the first draft constitution, it was planned that the document be discussed at community, district, sector group conventions and provincial levels where each province would hold a convention.

Thereafter, the committee would reconvene to consider comments made by the public and prepare a second draft constitution, which would be validated by the national convention.

The final draft constitution would then be released and submitted simultaneously to President Michael Sata and to the public.

The document draft constitution is also available on the technical committee website: www.zambianconstitution.org. (external link)

Labels: CONSTITUTION, SIMON KABANDA

posted by MrK @ 2:13 PM